It couldn't be denied that a lot of fans didn't like how Game of Thrones Season 8 went. From the battle at Winterfell, titled "The Long Night," to how things ended with a new king in Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright), everything came unexpectedly. With the news that the cast and crew would make a final appearance at the recent 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, viewers thought they could question showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss about the finale, but they never appeared.
Before SDCC took place in California, HBO announced the pullout of Benioff and Weiss, along with the director Miguel Sapochnik. This move surprised fans, believing the two would explain themselves about their take in the final season.
Instead, the network fronted Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm), John Bradley (Samwell Tarly), and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) at the panel. Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth), Conleth Hill (Varys), Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), and Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark) were also there.
Despite the Game of Thrones Season 8 complaints, the cast was warmly received. There were also no fan questions due to "time constraints," which was quite understandable.
According to Forbes, SDCC could have been a great venue for Benioff and Weiss to redeem themselves. Fans felt like the final season was rushed; thus, complaints ensued.
Unfortunately, Benioff and Weiss let the chance slide to defend themselves and make everyone understand their reason behind the "rushed" finale. The two are believed to be not be ready yet to face the rabid fandom. Game of Thrones fans aren't toxic at all, but things get silly when they made a petition for Season 8 remake.
The final season faced a lot of issues, including choosing the new king of the seven kingdoms. Unexpectedly, Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and the rest of the kings and queens chose Bran.
Although Bran seemed to be a good choice, knowing his mental and intellectual abilities, fans seemed to be not favor of it. Vox noted his ascension to the throne seemed to be unimaginative and transformed the Game of Thrones fandom.
Appointing Bran as the king of Westeros reportedly codified the male-dominated version of the geek culture that mirrored the mainstream perceptions about fandom. There was also claimed that it aligned with the series' frequent misogyny concept.
When Bran was placed as a stand-in for male geekdom, it just showed how flaw its fandom is that made the series a disappointment to some. As Game of Thrones Season 8 already ended, another door would be opened for the upcoming prequels that are now in the works.
